Oh sorry, I can’t swim right now. I just ate. How much of this well-known "wisdom" is really fact, and how much of it is myth? Back in the early 1900s, experts warned that swimming after eating can cause you to drown. They thought that a person would not be able to swim back to shore in the event of a stomach cramp, and the person would then sink like a stone. On one hand, it makes sense: After you eat, your body is devoting a large amount of its blood supply and energy to the digestion process, and it’s common to experience stomach cramps if you exercise right after eating a large meal.

But on the other hand, how many people eat a five-course meal and then want to go swimming instead of take a nap? If you’ve just had a hot dog and a popsicle, are you really at risk for drowning? Probably not. According to the American Red Cross, you don’t have to wait to swim after eating if you stick with a light meal. Swim at your own risk if you’ve just had a lot to eat, because you’re at an increased risk of simply tossing your cookies (vomiting), and who wants to swim in that muck?